Applause Gratitude Award

Standing Ovation Gratitude Award

Drew Butts
Katie Kennealy
James Mitchell
Crystal Stockdale

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J.W. Paquette Superior Leadership Award

Nell Madigan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bio: Nell is the associate dean in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In this leadership role, she is the primary contact for corporate relations and all career-related activities and holds the primary responsibility for building relationships with new companies to become partners with and recruit at the School in addition to managing ongoing relationships with long-time partners across a variety of industries. She played a key role in establishing the ongoing Hire Illini marketing campaign, targeting employers for enhanced recruiting relationships with the University, and is involved in ongoing activities to enhance the campaign.

In addition to other professional activities, she serves on the Boards of Directors for JB Training Solutions and RecSolu. Nell holds a Master's of Science in Advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and also earned a BS in Speech Communication there.

Nell has presented at NACE, Midwest ACE, and Illinois ACE on a variety of topics ranging from ethics to etiquette. She has held a variety of leadership positions with MWACE: she served on the assembly from 2006-2008 and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2009. Currently, she serves as our President, immediately following her role as President-Elect for the organization, and she received the 2010 Midwest ACE President's Award for meritorious leadership and service. Nell has also held the roles of Director, College Membership and Director for what is now known as Advancement and Communications on our Board. She's even co-chaired Trends and provides an excellent voice of reason in our leadership team.

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Diversity Advancement Founders Award

Laura Kestner-Rickets, Marquette University
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Bio: Laura Kestner-Ricketts is a supportive encourager who assists students and alumni in preparing now for future professional career success. She has served as the Director of Career Services at Marquette University since 2002. Prior to that she “cut her teeth” working at small liberal arts colleges throughout the Midwest. Part of her professional success and satisfaction has come from her involvement in the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers where she has developed skills, knowledge, and lasting friendships.
Laura collects antique etiquette books and appears on a local morning show as an etiquette and job search expert. She enjoys cooking, gardening, and singing karaoke (in her living room). She is a daughter, wife, and mother with a blended family full of young adults, teenagers, one lively preschooler, and a naughty cat. She happily lives in a friendly neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Involvement with MWACE:
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1995-97

New Professional Workshop Facilitator

1996-98

Professional Development Committee Co-Chair

1998-99

Professional development committee co-chairAssembly member, voting member

Founders Distinguished Service Award

Jerry Donahue, Northwestern University
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Bio: Jerry comes to Medill after a long career, 30+ years, in higher education career services. He has been a director of career services offices at Indiana University Northwest, Canisius College, Moraine Valley Community College, and St. Norbert College. His experience as a civil engineer in the headquarters of Navistar, formerly International Harvester Co., in Chicago provided some solid background for his work with the Archdiocese of Chicago as their science consultant after ten years of teaching middle school science in the Chicago area. He also has used his technical background working with engineering and computer science students at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Michigan - College of Engineering.
His involvement in professional associations has included leadership roles in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in their Northwest Indiana and Green Bay, WI chapters. He has been co-author of a National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) formerly CPC monograph on “Small Employers Connection to College Career Centers.” In addition he has been in leadership roles with the Midwest Association of Colleges & Employers (MWACE) including co-chairing both an annual conference and a recent Trends in Recruiting Conference held in Chicago.
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